Kiyone and Mihoshi: No need for Dreaming!
by shanejayell
Summary: Washu gives Kiyone a vacation from Mihoshi! But at what price... Shoujo-ai romance!


Tenchi Muyo! featuring Kiyone & Mihoshi: No Need for Dreaming!  
  
No, I don't own any of these characters, and I profit in no way from this fic! ^_^ It's just a silly shoujo-ai (girl love) piece of fluff about Mihoshi and Kiyone finally getting together! Enjoy!  
  
It's afternoon, and the house sitting nearby the shrine was quiet. There were no explosions going off, no fighting, space ships weren't crashing into the nearby lake, and there were no alien tyrants attempting to take over the world that day. All was quiet, something that happened in this particular location very, very rarely. And the dark hared young woman in a bikini resting out on the lawn intended to enjoy it while it lasted!  
  
Kiyone sighed happily, laying back on the lounge chair out in the middle of the Moritato front yard. She had already developed a very nice all-over suntan, she had a glass of cold ice tea waiting for her to get thirsty by her side, and she had enjoyed nearly a total week without having to put up with Mihoshi's presence!  
  
'Washu,' Kiyone thought with a blissful smile on her face, 'I don't know how in the world you did it, but thank you so much! Who would have thought saving that crazy scientist's life would pay off for me so well?'  
  
A slightly impish smile crossed her face as she remembered what happened two weeks ago: Washu had suddenly disappeared from her lab, and while most of them breathed a sigh of relief that she was gone, only Lady Ayeka had to be the party pooper.  
  
She had pushed her purple hair back and adjusted her formal robes, then she delivered the bad news. "Lord Tenchi," Ayeka had said in her particularly self-righteous tones, "despite being away in the city taking exams, would be very upset if we didn't at least try to find out what happened to her." Ryouko and Mihoshi had quickly fallen into line, and Kiyone figured she also had to tag along, if only to try to keep the others out of trouble.  
  
A search of the main lab revealed evidence that Washu had been teleported out of the lab, and they detected enough of an energy trail to trace it back to her kidnapper's home base. Ryo-Oh-ki had a cold and therefore wasn't sensitive enough to follow the track, but their Galaxy Police cruiser was able to. The asteroid they finally discovered several solar systems away had been hollowed out and reinforced into a veritable fortress, and they quickly devised a plan. Ryouko and Ayeka launched a headlong attack on the main entrance while the two Galaxy Police officers snuck into the back of the base.  
  
Ryouko led the charge, her long blue-gray hair swinging behind her as she threw energy bolts with one hand and swung her energy blade with the other! Ayeka followed closely, her normal robes exchanged for lighter garb as she threw electrical bolts against the enemy forces as eagerly as her companion!  
  
To the distant sounds of a violent battle Kiyone and Mihoshi broke in as quietly as possible. Kiyone groaned softly as Mihoshi tripped climbing out of the air duct, her golden hair flying and tears appearing in her blue eyes. "Shhh!" Kiyone cautioned her, taking her darker skinned hand and pulling her to her feet.  
  
Mihoshi nodded silently, still a bit teary eyed. They traced Washu's trail deeper and deeper into the structure until they came upon a massive lab similar to Washu's own base. They cautiously made their way in only to suddenly come across a most unusual sight! Washu was suspended from the ceiling by a length of old fashioned cable over a vat of rapidly boiling oil, a most vexed expression on her face! "Get me down!" Washu said to them impatiently.  
  
Kiyone quickly pushed the vat aside them Mihoshi cut Washu down, but she wasn't quite fast enough to catch the child-like scientist before Washu hit the ground face first. "Sorry," Mihoshi said kawaiily.  
  
"What did you do to make him so angry?" Kiyone asked Washu curiously as she helped her to her feet.  
  
"We were exchanging letters," Washu explained as they quickly retraced Kiyone's and Mihoshi's path back out of the building, "and Dr, Rotwang grew very upset when I criticized his work on humanoid robotics!" She shook her head at the foolishness of the other scientist, her red hair standing up more than usual from her ill treatment.  
  
Kiyone sweatdropped and instead concentrated on getting them all safely out of the building. The three then quickly rounded up the slightly messed up pair of Ayeka and Ryouko and made it back to their waiting ship.  
  
"Mi..ho..shi..." Kiyone growled angrily to herself once she saw it. Mihoshi had parked the ship so one of the landing struts had fallen into a previously hidden crater, leaving the ship resting there on an odd angle, unable to launch.  
  
"I'm sorry Kiyone," Mihoshi said to her quietly, while Kiyone fumed.  
  
Washu looked up at the angry Kiyone with an intrigued look on her face. "You know, the group of you may have saved my life. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Washu asked her thoughtfully.  
  
"Some time without Mihoshi would be a good start," Kiyone angrily bit out, and moved over to the others to try and straighten out the ship for launch.  
  
"Kiyone, do you know where Mihoshi is?" a concerned voice asked behind her, bringing her back to the present. Kiyone turned in her seat, and saw a worried looking Ayeka standing there. She looked awfully uncomfortable under the hot sun in her kimono, but Kiyone was in too good a mood to let it bother her. Not too much, anyway.  
  
"I don't know, and I really don't care," Kiyone answered her cheerfully, and turned back over to enjoy the sun. She could almost feel Ayeka standing there behind her, radiating pure disappointment.  
  
"But Mihoshi's your partner, it's your duty to help her," Ayeka said to Kiyone with a expression of disapproval. "She could be in trouble," she said worriedly.  
  
"Firstly, I didn't choose her as a partner, she was assigned to me. Secondly, she's probably the luckiest person I've ever met. I'm certain she'll be perfectly fine, though I pity any innocent bystanders standing nearby," Kiyone answered her calmly.  
  
"Kiyone, even if that space pirate trash Ryouko was in trouble, I'd care about it." Ayeka said to her in a cold fury. "Mihoshi has been a good friend to you, and I cannot believe you don't feel any concern. You're contemptible!" Ayeka exclaimed, and stalked away angrily.  
  
Kiyone lay back to try to enjoy the sun, but her heart really wasn't in it anymore. She began to wonder what Washu had done to Mihoshi to give Kiyone her vacation, and her conscience started to bother her. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she got up, got dressed, and went over to see Washu.  
  
"What do you mean, she's gone forever!?" Kiyone yelled in disbelief as she picked up the diminutive scientist and bodily shook her. Strangely, Washu didn't loose her perplexed expression even as Kiyone shook her back and forth.  
  
"But I thought you'd be happy to see her gone," Washu said with a confused frown. "You always go on and on about what a pain she is, and how happy you'd be if she was gone, so I did what you asked," Washu shrugged expressively.  
  
"I didn't mean it like that!" Kiyone said, but it was hard for her to stay angry when she felt so guilty. She had said that, over and over again. 'And I wonder how many times has Mihoshi heard that,' she thought with a fresh surge of guilt.  
  
"What, exactly, did you do?" Kiyone asked Washu softly, and found herself dreading the answer. Washu may have been the greatest scientist in this galaxy (a chibi-Washu suddenly pops up, loudly declaring "Universe!"), but she was also very likely certifiably insane. There was no telling what she could have done.  
  
"Do you remember the dinner Mihoshi didn't show up for a few days ago?" Washu asked with a sinister smile on her pretty face.  
  
Kiyone suddenly turned green, and wondered where you could get a turbo-powered stomach pump on very short notice.  
  
"Well, I took Mihoshi over to my lab before then, and showed her my latest variation on my incredible Time and Space Device!" Kiyone sighed in relief, though Washu didn't notice it as she continued, "Instead of using a primitive keyboard to input the data, it reads your mind directly and creates a world based on your deepest wants and desires!"  
  
"So all I have to do is bring Mihoshi back from her fantasy world," Kiyone said, sounding relieved. "That doesn't sound too hard." she said hopefully  
  
"It's not quite that simple," Washu said. "To bring her out of it, you would have to get her to reject the world that is everything she's ever wanted. That's why I said she's gone forever, I can't see anyone rejecting their own personally made paradise."  
  
"Oh, hell," Kiyone sighed softly.  
  
"I set up a monitor," Washu said, walking over to a nearby computer screen, "to make sure everything was all right in Mihoshi's world. Let's take a peek, shall we?"  
  
Adjusting a few controls she brought up a image of Mihoshi and what looked like Kiyone on the small screen in front of her, then transferred it to a larger one in the center of the room. Apparently, they were receiving a briefing from the chief of Galaxy Police. The two stood together closely, and Kiyone was surprised to see the blush of happiness on Mihoshi's pretty face.  
  
"Don't worry sir," Mihoshi said firmly, "we'll handle it!"  
  
Out in the hallway, the other Kiyone said to Mihoshi fondly, "You shouldn't be so quick to make that promise. This is a big case, and it could be very hard for us to solve."  
  
Mihoshi waved her hand in the air, smiling "We can handle it. We are the very best pair of officers Galaxy Police has, you know. Besides," she said to her with a sly grin, "I seem to remember you offering me one of your 'special rewards' for cracking our next case, love!"  
  
The other Kiyone blushed brightly as she remarked "You would remember that." Mihoshi took her arm and they hurried down the hallway together laughing.  
  
Things became a blur on the computer screen, and in what seemed like moments, a beat up but proud looking Mihoshi and Kiyone brought in the arch- criminal Kagato. They booked him, and things blurred again, finally returning to a small but comfortable apartment.  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi ate a romantic diner together, lit by soft candlelight, then they were soon standing facing each other in the dark bedroom nearby, slowly undressing each other. Mihoshi took the lead, gently pressing Kiyone down on the bed and kissing her fiercely. The real Kiyone heard Mihoshi say to her other self in a voice full of emotion "I love you," even as she reached over and shut the computer screen off.  
  
Washu looked at Kiyone sympathetically as Kiyone sank down into one of the floating chairs and put her head in her hands. After a few silent minutes Kiyone softly murmured "I didn't know she loved me."  
  
"Then you were blind," Washu said to her surprisingly gently. Washu continued softly "I think she's happy there, Kiyone. She's successful, well off, winning all the time, and she has a life with the woman she loves," Washu said softly. "What can you offer her to bring her back?"  
  
"I..." Kiyone stopped, and looked into the distance. "I don't know," she said softly and sadly. She got up suddenly and paced across the room, tormented by memories of her partner. Mihoshi was flighty, clumsy, airheaded, irritating and... Kiyone sighed to herself softly. She left that train of thought behind her because it didn't really matter. Mihoshi's good qualities far outweighed the bad ones, at least for Kiyone. Good hearted, kind and fiercely loyal, Mihoshi wore her heart on her sleeve for all the world to see.  
  
Unlike herself, Kiyone realized. She had always kept others at a distance with her crabbiness and businesslike exterior. She focused on her work and her duties, not letting other things sway her, and not listening to anything her heart might be trying to say to her. She could hear her heart talking to her now, though, loud and clear.  
  
There were a few tears in Kiyone's eyes as she returned to Washu's side and softly said "There is something I can offer her, Washu." She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and said "I love Mihoshi, Washu. And I don't want to loose her, no matter how crazy she may drive me at times." She got up and looked Washu in the eye, her face showing her determination, "Get me into her world, Washu. Whatever it takes," she vowed intensely, "I'm bringing her home."  
  
Washu smiled slowly in satisfaction and with a firm nod of her head she said, "I lied."  
  
"What?!" Kiyone yelled, picked up Washu and went back to shaking her like a rag doll.  
  
"Mihoshi is asleep in a chamber just off the main lab," Washu said to Kiyone gently. "That," she said, pointing over at the computer screen, "is a dream monitor, only."  
  
"What the hell are you up to?" Kiyone growled dangerously.  
  
"I've done you both a favor," Washu said to her serenely, "to pay back the debt I owe." At Kiyone's blank expression, she elaborated "I gave you and Mihoshi your vacations of choice, and I got you to admit your true feelings about Mihoshi to yourself," she finished.  
  
Washu grinned remembering what Mihoshi had said to her when she asked her about a reward: "I want to sleep for a week!" It all came together very nicely.  
  
She looked at her fingernails, a impish smile on her child-like face. "Not too shabby for a few days work," Washu said cheerfully.  
  
Ayeka stepped out from behind a nearby computer terminal, adding "It certainly took you long enough. No Princess of Jurai would ever have taken so long to act! I can't believe I had to prod you to get you down here to save Mihoshi."  
  
Ryouko followed her out and gently chided Ayeka, "I wouldn't talk, Princess. Considering what happened between us, love, Kiyone is looking good." She smiled softly, adding "That was a nice act outside, though. A little overdone, but..."  
  
"It was not overdone," Ayeka said haughtily, and was about to continue when they noticed Kiyone's surprised expression.  
  
"You two are..." Kiyone said to Ayeka and Ryouko with a certain amount of surprise in her voice. She shook her head, and got back on topic, asking Washu "Mihoshi's all right, then?" At Washu's nod, she sighed with relief.  
  
"So what are you going to do now?" Washu asked her.  
  
"Where did you say Mihoshi is?" Kiyone asked, ignoring the question. Washu gestured Kiyone to follow behind her, and led Kiyone out of the larger chamber and into a smaller bedroom nearby, where Mihoshi lay asleep.  
  
A small device was attached to Mihoshi's temple, her shoulder length golden hair was spread across the pillow and she looked absolutely adorable to Kiyone, curled there into a little ball under the covers. Washu quietly left them there alone, and Kiyone walked over to Mihoshi's bedside, gazing down at her admiringly. 'She's beautiful,' Kiyone thought, then wondered why it had taken her so long to see it.  
  
"Kiyone," Mihoshi said softly in her sleep. Kiyone reached down and gently shook Mihoshi, until the young woman's eyes opened and she blinked up at Kiyone drowsily. "Am I still dreaming?" Mihoshi asked her sleepily.  
  
"There's no need for dreaming," Kiyone said to her softly. Leaning over her, she smiled down at her warmly and gently kissed Mihoshi on the lips.  
  
The End!  
  
A short little mini-fic for you Kiyone/Mihoshi fans out there! Set somewhere in the Tenchi Universe continuity (of course), as Kiyone is alive and kicking. Why isn't Tenchi in here? Well, they don't call it 'No Need for Tenchi' for nothing, you know. Yes, I'm a Ryouko/Ayeka fan, too, so they're together in this fic!  
  
Why pair up Kiyone and Mihoshi? First of all I should say, I've only seen the first four Tenchi Universe episodes, as well as the Time and Space Adventures tape, so I'll only be writing about those. I've also seen the movies, but I'm never quite sure where, or even if, those actually fit in to the Universe series! In the 'Time and Space' storyline, the characters created a series of 'alternate' worlds where their various wishes were granted.  
  
Strangely, instead of asking for love, power or other rewards, Mihoshi asked that she and Kiyone be together forever! In each of the worlds they visited, Kiyone and Mihoshi were together: as guards, teachers, and police detectives. In the world Kiyone created for herself, Mihoshi appeared, having given up her job and career to find her! Even in the world where Mihoshi actually got to marry Tenchi, she seemed to be only somewhat happy, and discussed her many troubles with her long time best friend, Kiyone.  
  
I do think Mihoshi, at least from the episodes I've seen, is in love with Kiyone. Now how Kiyone feels about her is another matter, but I believe that under the annoyance she often shows, Kiyone does care for her partner. As far as the regular series goes, I don't see Kiyone ever telling Mihoshi "I love you." on her own. That's why she's basically tricked into admitting it in this fic.  
  
Our villain for the rescue sequence, Rotwang (for the astute reader) is visiting from the classic B&W movie Metropolis. An expert in "humanoid robotics" indeed... 


End file.
